Holding peaceful rally will be challenging: BNP leaders

Amid "provocations" by the Awami League and police "obstruction" of BNP activists, it will be challenging to hold a peaceful rally on October 28, said party leaders.

They said BNP leaders and activists have started arriving in Dhaka for the rally that they are determined to hold in front of the party's Nayapaltan headquarters.

BNP senior leaders have been holding a series of meetings with leaders of its front, associate, and district units about the rally, they said.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said AL leaders and activists should be present on every street of Dhaka and if anyone attempts to create unrest on that day, they would be dealt with.

Sources in the AL said instructions have been given to its leaders and activists to carry sticks so that they could defend themselves if attacked.

"Ruling party leaders are provoking our leaders and activists continuously. But we have sent a clear message to our party leaders and activists that we will not be provoked by the aggressive behaviour of the ruling party leaders and activists," Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, standing committee member of the BNP, told The Daily Star yesterday.

Sources said the BNP has taken a number of steps to hold a peaceful rally, including the formation of a volunteer team that will work on that day at the rally venue.

Letters were sent to all district units of the party asking the activists to join the event spontaneously and be in their localities the day after the rally.

The BNP asked its activists to travel in small groups and avoid hotels near the BNP office. It advised carrying their work ID cards and not to wear anything with images of BNP leaders or the electoral symbol by which they could be identified as BNP activists.

It also asked the activists to be cautious in using mobile phones as those could be checked at checkpoints and on public transport.

The activists have also been requested not to roam around the Nayapaltan office and party chairperson's office in Gulshan after arriving in Dhaka.

BNP leaders alleged that police have started arresting opposition men so that they could not join the rally and that they might also dilly-dally in granting permission for the rally.

The BNP sought the Dhaka Metropolitan Police permission for the event on October 21. It is yet to get permission even though the rally is two days away.

"We are taking full preparation to hold the rally at Nayapaltan, but if we are denied permission for the rally there, we will have an alternative plan," said a senior leader of Dhaka city unit BNP.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the BNP, said preparations for the rally are almost complete.

Sources said district leaders were coordinating the accommodations for their activists in Dhaka.